Connecticut
Overview
Connecticut has not passed supported decision-making legislation; however, a bill was passed in 2023 that identifies supported decision-making as a less-restrictive alternative to guardianship for children in certain contexts
Guardianship Laws
Conn. Gen Stat. Ann. §§ 45a-644 to -667v; 45a-669 to -689 (guardians of persons with an intellectual disability); 45a-690 to -703
Supported Decision-Making
State Legislation
- Conn. Genn. Stat. Ann. § 10–74s (2023)
- Description: Identifies supported decision-making as a less-restrictive alternative to guardianship for children in the context of educational opportunities, financial, and medical decisions.
- Status: Effective July 1, 2023
None found
- S.B. 63, Gen. Assem., Jan. 2019 Sess. (Conn. 2019)
- Description: Would have formally recognized SDM Agreements for adults with disabilities
- Status: Failed – Reissued by Legislative Commissioner’s Office with File No. 8563 on April 30, 2019
Case Law & Court Orders
None found
State Grant Programs
Anticipated 2026 State Grantee: Connecticut State Council on Developmental Disabilities
Summary: Connecticut State Council on Developmental Disabilities is funded by an annual federal grant, though specific information in grants given by CSCDD is not currently available pending funding allocation for FY 2026.
Other Resources
- “Promoting Independence in Connecticut: Supported Decision-Making as an Alternative to Guardianship and Conservatorship” (2021). This resource was created by Disability Rights Connecticut, the Connecticut Council of Developmental Disabilities, The University of Connecticut University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, PATH, Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut, the Arc of Connecticut, and Planning Across the Spectrum.
- Document: Workbook for Supported Decision Making, Karen Harvey, Trauma-Informed Care Information
- Connecticut Department of Developmental Services indicating that not all disabled persons should be placed under guardianship
- PATH, a Connecticut-wide grassroots parent organization, YouTube webinar on supported decision-making.
- Julia R. Vassallo, “The Current State of Guardianship Law Furthering a Need for Supported Decision-Making in Connecticut,” 56 Conn. Law Rev. 1 (2024) on the need for supported decision-making in Connecticut and the state of supported decision-making in the state.
- Connecticut State Independent Living Council (SILC) overview of supported decision-making
Information Last Updated: January 24, 2025